


The High School Dance Fic Nobody Asked For

by PickledBeef



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Blushing, Dave goes alone, Dave is a dork, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, High School, Klaus has a shitty date, M/M, Prom, So Sappy, Teasing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, dance, high school dance, seriously so soft and fluffy, slow songs, they get donuts, theyre both so soft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27389980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PickledBeef/pseuds/PickledBeef
Summary: Dave goes to the dance at the high school to keep up appearances with his parents. Though he's pessimistic, the night goes better than he expects. A dance ensues, a date ensues, and kissing definitely ensues too.
Relationships: Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz
Comments: 35
Kudos: 83





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just something that popped into my head and I had to write. Still debating whether I keep it as a one-shot or expand it into a full story!

The building was hardly festive—it was the opposite, in fact. It was an event center than held everything from high school dances to corporate networking events. As such, everything was square and beige, intending to be neutral, but coming across as stuffy and uninviting instead. The only thing festive about the place was a half-assed spattering of streamers and balloons wrapped around the stairwell rails and the faint thumping sound of bass-heavy music inside.   
What was the theme again? He wasn’t sure, but he thought it had something to do with being underwater or something like that. The streamers were all blue and green, which supported his theory. It didn’t really matter did it? It’s not like it was a costume dance. Why bother with themes anyway?

Dave wasn’t really sure why he came here tonight. His suit was uncomfortable, stiff and starched more than he was used to. It felt like he was wearing a paper bag that was tied too tight around his throat and waist and shoulders. He handed his ticket to Erica, the soft-spoken blonde he knew from a chemistry class he took the year before, giving her a polite smile as he walked past. 

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting this night to feel like exactly, but he wasn’t expecting this. Despite the pessimism he felt about the whole thing, he couldn’t deny this thrum of something that felt strangely like hope, anticipation. It was like it hung in the air and the further down the hall he walked, the stronger it gripped him. He wasn’t alone in feeling it, he figured, judging by the way that couples looked at each other, hung off each other. There was an undeniable energy here that he hadn’t expected. 

He turned the last corner into the dark gymnasium, passing through a thick curtain of streamers that hung in the doorway. He had to blink a few times as he entered the room to force his eyes to adjust to the darkness, registering some wandering laser lights and the occasional strobe coming from the corner of the room, behind the DJ’s table. The air smelled a little off, probably from the fog machines and Dave took a deep breath, deciding now, much too late, that this was a terrible idea. What was he doing here? Why did he decide that coming stag to a school dance was the right thing to do? He had to wear the suit and leave the house to keep up appearances with his parents, sure, but he didn’t need to come here and subject himself to his classmates. He could have gone to the park for a few hours, taken a walk downtown, sat in his truck and read Dune until it was a reasonable time to come home from the dance. 

He was broken from his thoughts by a bump to his shoulder, looking to his left to see someone stumbling, realizing immediately that he recognized the face as Klaus Hargreeves. He was so clearly drunk, stumbling into his date’s side with a giggle, glancing back at Dave to say sorry, waving his hand with his lips pulled in an exaggerated pout. 

“Whoops! Sorry, handsome,” Klaus said with a wink, grinning as his date tugged him, too hard for Dave’s taste, and sent Klaus stumbling a few more steps forward toward the table where the punchbowl was. 

Dave hadn’t had much time to really react, but by the time he’d processed everything, Klaus was out of earshot. Dave watched the guy he was with, a tall, cranky looking guy with three piercings in his right ear, holding Klaus up by his elbow in a way that made it clear that it was out of obligation only. It put a frown on Dave’s face and he all but forgot about how much he didn’t want to be at this stupid school dance. Instead, his attention was on Klaus and his date, which wasn’t unusual for Dave, really—his attention was on Klaus more often than Dave cared to admit, whether he was alone or with his family or with whatever person Klaus seemed to be interested in that particular week.

He followed slowly, wandering his way toward the punch table. He could see a flash of silver from Klaus’s date’s hand and realized he was dumping a flask of liquid into the punchbowl while Klaus pointed at something on the punch supervisor’s shoulder, likely serving as the distraction. It was working—the supervisor’s gaze followed Klaus’s hand and he seemed to be nodding in agreement to whatever it was Klaus was saying. It only took a few seconds for the emptied flask to be emptied and for Klaus’s date to switch out the flask for the ladle, pouring drinks for himself and Klaus, nudging the liquid into Klaus’s hand.

Dave waited until they walked away to approach the punchbowl. He looked down into the pink liquid, wondering briefly what had been dumped into the bowl, but since they’d both willingly drank it, it couldn’t have been anything too bad. He scooped a cup for himself, taking a long drink of it. He got the faintest hint of alcohol on his tongue, but the punchbowl was big enough that it seemed to disperse whatever cocktail they’d poured in enough to not be very noticeable. It didn’t take long for Dave to finish off his drink and pour himself another. Maybe this would make the night somewhat more bearable. He’d have to stay for at least an hour or two to avoid any of his mother’s suspicion, so he needed a way to get comfortable. He leaned back against the far wall, nursing his punch slowly as he watched the crowd dancing under the twirling lights. 

“What do you think?” A voice said beside him, causing Dave to startle a little, nearly spilling his cocktail. 

Klaus was standing there with a suspiciously wide grin on his face, glancing from Dave’s gaze to his cup. Dave glanced around to see if Klaus’s date was near, but saw no sign of him, thankfully. He turned his attention back on Klaus’s glassy eyes and swallowed hard. 

“Of what? You’re little cocktail,” Dave lifted his glass briefly in illustration, “Or the teenage orgy?” He joked, pointing to the dance floor, seeing teenagers writhing against each other, some awkward and uncomfortable, others fluid and practiced in a way that made Dave a little concerned. 

Klaus leaned into the wall beside him, leaning his head back to rest against the smooth surface, eyes up on the ceiling, watching the lights move. “Hmm, I /was/ talking about the punch, but now you’ve got me more curious About the orgy,” Klaus commented, rolling his head to the side a little to shoot a wink at Dave.  
Dave’s breath caught at the attention and he buried his blush in another long sip of his punch, polishing off his glass with a slight grimace. The taste was beginning to come through a little more clearly, leaving his stomach feeling warm from the inside out. He turned his gaze back to Klaus as he set his glass aside on the table beside him. 

“What happened to your date? Shouldn’t you be out there too?” Dave asked, head feeling thick and foggy and he wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol in the punch or the thick smoke from the fog machines. 

Klaus shrugged, flicking his hand in a dismissive gesture, turning to lean against the wall with one shoulder so he could look at Dave more fully, crossing his arms across his slim chest. “Hardly a date, he fulfilled his duty and left, as agreed,” Klaus said vaguely, leaning his head against the wall again, this time to the side, looking up at Dave with his head cocked, “How about you, handsome? Where’s your date?” 

Dave could feel heat rising to his skin when Klaus called him handsome, but he hoped the multi-colored lights would hide that. He shook his head, lips curling up into a small smile. “No date, I came by myself,” he answered simply, searching Klaus’s face, wondering how he’d react. Would he think that was sad? Pitiful?  
Klaus surprised him by breaking into a wide smile. There was a glint in Klaus’s eye, despite the glassiness that was also there. It made Klaus look predatory. “So you’re available for a dance then?” Klaus asked, voice nearly a purr as he took a step closer to Dave, hand moving to Dave’s arm. 

Dave couldn’t speak. He could only look down at Klaus’s slender fingers wrapped loosely around his bicep before tracing his gaze up his bare forearm to where his cuffs were rolled up to the elbows, following his arm up to the open cut of Klaus’s shirt, unbuttoned to almost the middle of his chest. He caught himself looking a beat too long and forced his gaze up to Klaus’s, who was looking back at him with a smirk that told him that he’d been caught.   
“Is that a yes?” Klaus asked, smiling as his hand slid down Dave’s to lace their fingers together and then Klaus was moving, pushing off the wall, backing up toward the dance floor with Dave towed with him. 

Dave didn’t have to answer—Klaus had already started carrying him away into the crowd and Dave was moving with him automatically, his brain on autopilot while his body was on overdrive, focused on the feeling Klaus’s hand on his own, the way the bass thumped through the soles of his feet and reverberated through his chest. His brain was still trying to catch up with his feet—Klaus Hargreeves, who Dave had been absolutely smitten over for the last few months, was pulling him onto a dance floor and now, oh wow, Klaus had let go of his hand and was moving, swaying his hips side to side, letting his arms rise up above his head. His head was falling back with a broad smile on his lips and his shirt rode up to reveal an inch of skin between his white button-up and his leather pants—Oh god, he was wearing leather pants with laces up the side instead of slacks. Dave’s mouth was dry as Klaus’s head came back up, gaze landing on Dave.   
It wasn’t until Klaus’s expression shifted into a pout, forearms coming down to rest on Dave’s shoulders that Dave’s head began to get with the program. Klaus leaned in and spoke against Dave’s ear, cheek to cheek, and his heart stuttered.   
“Not gonna dance with me, Davey?” He asked, still swaying, now moving in closer, swaying against Dave and Dave could see his opportunity quickly slipping away. He needed to move and soon. 

He brought a shaky hand up to Klaus’s hip, thumb skating over the skin between his shirt and his pants and then he was moving, matching Klaus’s movements, swaying with him. His movements were shy at first, but Klaus’s bright, happy laugh gave him a little confidence. Klaus wrapped his arms more fully around Dave’s neck and Dave took the opportunity to wrap his own arms around Klaus’s waist, reeling him in a little closer as they moved. Klaus lifted his head and looked at Dave, much closer now. He was close enough that Dave could smell the alcohol on his breath mixed with the scent Klaus was wearing, something faintly floral and woody. 

“You’re not bad at this, Katz,” Klaus said, lips curling up into a lazy smile, one that had Dave’s stomach flipping a somersault. 

“You’re not bad yourself, Hargreeves.” 

Klaus laughed, eyes crinkling at the corners as he let his head fall back, arms tightening around Dave’s neck to keep himself upright. Dave didn’t mind. 

“You look great tonight,” Dave complimented, words spilling out before he could hold them back. 

Klaus lifted his head and Dave couldn’t decide whether it was a tragedy, since it meant he couldn’t stare at the long column of Klaus’s throat, or a revelation, since it meant he could now look back at Klaus’ pretty face. The expression Klaus wore was more serious than Dave had seen it tonight. He stared at him like he was looking for something and Dave wasn’t sure if he hoped that Klaus did or didn’t find whatever it was he was looking for. He just looked back, waiting for Klaus to react. 

Klaus seemed satisfied with whatever it was that he found in Dave’s expression because the lazy smile was curving his lips again. He batted his dark eyelashes coquettishly and bit his lip, drawing Dave’s eyes helplessly down to stare at the shine there. Oh god, he was pretty. He was so pretty and looking right at Dave, all his attention, right on him. 

“See something you like, Davey?” Klaus asked impishly, sliding his hands down Dave’s arms to take his hand, spinning himself out away from Dave to give him a good view. Dave kept up, gently stretching his arm out to let him spin. He’d been invited, so Dave let himself look. His eyes roamed from Klaus’s face, down the line of his neck and chest where it disappeared into his just-this-side-of-too-unbuttoned shirt, the flash of soft skin above his pants, the long zigzag line of tantalizing skin that stretched from Klaus’s hip to his ankle. Dave pulled gently, spinning Klaus back in, where he landed with only a minor stumble with his back against Dave’s chest. 

“I like all of it. You look gorgeous,” the music was loud so Dave leaned in to say it against Klaus’s ear and he swore he felt Klaus shiver. 

“Davey!” Klaus exclaimed, turning in Dave’s arms to rest his hands on Dave’s shoulders and turn the full power of his playful gaze on him, “You’re gonna make me blush, you flatterer.” 

He just smiled in return, feeling a little safer now, more comfortable. Dancing with Klaus was a whirlwind, all playful movements and teasing words, a push and pull that made Dave’s heart race. Klaus seemed to be having fun, so Dave felt a little braver the longer he danced with him. 

“It’d be hard to see under these lights,” He said, pulling Klaus in closer again to speak closer to his ear, “Which is a shame, I bet it’d look so pretty.” 

It felt like a risky thing to say, but Klaus just bit his lip on a big grin and looked at Dave like he hadn’t been expecting it—like he hadn’t been expecting Dave to hold his own with him. Klaus was intimidating to most people, especially to Dave, and it wasn’t uncommon for people to get flustered around him—both because he was so pretty it hurt and because Klaus knew how to wield his words like a weapon. He knew just how to tease, how to flirt, how to get under somebody’s skin. 

The song ended and they stopped moving as the sounds faded into something softer and slower. Dave glanced around and saw people pairing up, arms around necks, hands on hips. When he looked back at Klaus, he was pulling away, pasting an unaffected look on his face to cover the flash of apprehension that Dave had caught the tail-end of. 

“Well, Katz, this was fun,” Klaus said, backing away, though he wobbled a bit, nearly falling back into somebody before Dave caught his hand and pulled him back upright, right into Dave’s chest. 

“Maybe you should dance with me for one more. Just until you get your sea legs, huh?” He teased, arm around Klaus’s waist, though he’d let Klaus go if he showed any sign of not wanting to stay for the slow song. 

The thought of swaying slowly with Klaus in his arms made Dave’s pulse run fast and hot, but he could understand if Klaus didn’t want to sustain that level of intimacy for 4 whole minutes. Klaus didn’t seem to let anything resembling intimacy around him. Sure, he was a flirt and there were rumors of the things he did, but Dave had never seen him hold someone’s hand, cuddle up to someone, hug anyone. He couldn’t really picture Klaus slow dancing, but Dave couldn’t help but try. 

Klaus looked around before looking back at Dave, the same serious, searching expression back on his face. After a beat, Klaus made his mind up and smiled coyly. 

“Oh, I guess,” he said, as if he were doing Dave a favor, but when he wrapped his arms around Dave’s neck, he held him close, pressing up close to him with a smile tugging at his lips, “Don’t think this is gonna get you into my pants, Davey.”   
Dave held Klaus’s hips, one hand splayed at the base of his spine, swaying with him again, slower, this time. He snorted a little and pressed his cheek against Klaus’s temple so he’d be able to hear him without needing to shout. 

“I don’t think anyone could get in those pants, Hargreeves. They’re much too tight.”

Klaus laughed like he hadn’t expected it, the sound bright and happy and he tightened his grip on Dave, pressing his face against Dave’s neck for a moment as he laughed. 

“Touché.” Klaus agreed, letting one hand drift down a little to hold Dave’s bicep, leaving room for Klaus to rest his cheek on Dave’s shoulder. 

Dave’s heart soared, it felt like it was going to beat clear out of his chest—could Klaus feel it? He didn’t close his eyes, not wanting to be /that/ cheeseball, but he let his eyes unfocus somewhere on the floor over Klaus’s shoulder and just tried to memorize the feeling. He was pretty sure he wasn’t going to get this opportunity again, so he’d need to commit all of these details to his mind. He focused on the smell of Klaus’s cologne, the warm weight of him, the feeling of his hair tickling Dave’s cheek, the slim cut of his hips in Dave’s hands. 

“Dave?” Klaus asked after a minute or two of swaying in easy silence, lifting his head to look at him. 

“Yeah?” He responded, not able to read Klaus’s expression, but was happy to try if it meant he could look at his face, now so much closer. 

“You’ve already been the best date to a dance that I think I’ve ever had, and you’re not even my date.” Klaus said eventually, face breaking into a smile, though there was still a seriousness in his eyes when he looked at Dave. 

Dave smiled fondly, “Well I’m flattered you think so. I’m honored.” 

Klaus rolled his eyes, probably at how cheesy this moment was, but Dave couldn’t bring himself to feel embarrassed about it because there was a redness in Klaus’s cheeks and he seemed like he was fighting a happy little smile as he dipped forward again, resting his chin on Dave’s shoulder, snuggling in closer to him. Dave was more than happy to oblige him, wrapping his arms more solidly around Klaus’s middle. They were full-on hugging at this point, hugging and swaying like the most sappy couples in school and while Dave usually rolled his eyes when others did it...

He was beginning to understand what the draw was.


	2. What Comes Next

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night continues for our lovebirds. There is flirting and fluff galore!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got a few requests for a chapter two, so I decided to continue! I left it pretty open for a third as well. Fair warning, don't expect a lot of plot, I was never planning to continue this into a full on story, for now, it's just some fun fluffy scenes. Maybe it'll develop, maybe it won't. Totally unbeta'd so please forgive typos.

“Would you want to get some air with me?” Klaus asked, lifting his head from Dave’s shoulder again. 

Dave looked in Klaus’s eyes and saw something unsettled there. He registered then that Klaus seemed a little stiffer than before and his eyes shifted to Dave’s and then away, back and away. He was uncomfortable. Dave had a brief moment of panic, worrying that he’d done something wrong, that he was somehow at fault, but he swallowed down the lump in his throat and nodded. If he was uncomfortable with Dave, he would have made an excuse to leave alone, right? He wouldn’t have invited Dave. 

“Sure, of course,” he agreed, releasing his hold on Klaus except for a hand at the small of his back, “Everything okay?” 

Klaus nodded, giving Dave a smile, but it looked a little hollow and his eyes were looking through Dave more than they were looking at him. It freaked him out a little, but he didn’t let it show. He simply led Klaus through the crowd, letting Klaus lean into him, and ushered him outside. 

As soon as the cool night air hit Klaus’s skin, he sighed. When Dave looked at him, he had his eyes closed and was covering his ears, rubbing his hands back and forth anxiously. Dave wasn’t sure what had changed in the last few minutes, but he knew something wasn’t right. He gently guided Klaus a few more steps forward to a bench outside the back doors and helped him sit down. Dave squatted down in front of him, trying to look up at his face with a hand on Klaus’s calf, thumb rubbing soothing circles against an exposed piece of skin where the lacing on his pants let skin show through. 

“Klaus?” He called gently, relieved that Klaus opened his eyes, “What can I do?” He asked, wanting to know what was wrong, but wanting more to alleviate whatever was bothering Klaus.

Klaus’s expression looked scared, but he lowered his hands away from his ears, rubbing his palms back and forth against his thighs. Dave watched as he rolled his shoulders down away from his ears and smoothed his expression, all very practiced. His face shifted into a smile and he tried to wave it off. 

“Nothing, sorry. I’m fine! Just needed some fresh air,” he commented breezily, patting first his pants pockets, then the breast pocket on his shirt, sighing with relief at whatever he found there. 

Dave watched, hand still curled around Klaus’s calf. He could see through Klaus’s facade easily, clocking in on the trembling of his fingers as he fished something from his pocket. It was a beat or two before Dave registered what it was and by then, Klaus already had the joint between his lips and was sparking the lighter. It didn’t feel like it was Dave’s place to say anything about it, and even if it were, he wasn’t sure what he would say so instead of speaking, he just watched the orange glow illuminate Klaus’s features, for a few moments before blinking out, watched as Klaus pulled in a deep breath, making the ember at the end of the joint glow brighter, watched as he pulled it away from his lips, tilted his head back, and let a long cloud of smoke billow up above him. 

It was beautiful in a strange way. Dave had never really thought of smoking as beautiful—sorta the opposite really—but somehow, it was beautiful when Klaus did it. Maybe it was just because the way he tilted his head up was so relaxed, exposing his throat, the way it disappeared behind the dip between his collarbones, continuing down into his shirt. Maybe it was the way the smoke curled and twisted in the air above him, like it was dancing as it dispersed. When Klaus sighed and lowered his head to look down at Dave, he seemed a little more relaxed. 

“Want some?” He offered, holding the joint out between them. 

Dave glanced at it, some part of him tempted by the idea of touching his lips to it after Klaus had, feeling the heavy rush of it, but he had to drive home later, so he shook his head.

“I’m okay, I drove here,” He said, letting go of Klaus’s leg now that he seemed a little more okay. 

He rose to sit beside Klaus on the bench, glancing at him, watching as his face was faintly illuminated by the glow of the ember when Klaus took another drag, watching him light up in profile this time. He could smell the weed, and though the smell wasn’t pleasant, exactly, it wasn’t unpleasant either. It mostly smelled earthy, perhaps a little acrid, but the scent was making Dave feel a little less foggy from the alcohol he’d had earlier. Klaus blew another cloud of smoke, politely up and away from Dave’s face, before turning to look at him. 

“Sorry about that. Got a little claustrophobic, that’s all.” He explained, ashing the joint over the side of the bench. 

Dave nodded and swallowed. “It’s okay. I didn’t do anything to cause it, did I? I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable...” he said, trailing off when Klaus shook his head emphatically. 

“No, no, no. Dave, you didn’t do anything wrong. You did everything right, actually. I wish I wouldn’t have needed to come outside. I wish I was still in there dancing with you,” he assured, babbling a little. 

He nudged Dave’s shoulder with his own, a playful little gesture that made Dave smile. He returned the motion, bumping Klaus softly to let him know that he believed him, it was okay. 

They were quiet then, Klaus taking a few more drags off his joint before he leaned forward and dropped it on the ground, grinding it beneath the toe of his shoe while Dave watched him, perhaps a bit too closely. He knew he should probably seem at least a little less interested, more lost in his own thoughts instead of watching Klaus like he was fascinating, like he was just waiting to speak to him again. He couldn’t help himself. It felt like the night was winding down towards an ending already and Dave wasn’t ready for that. Two dances and a few minutes outside weren’t enough for him, but in reality, he wasn’t sure anything ever would be enough. 

“You said you had a car?” Klaus asked, turning his head to look at Dave, his posture a bit more relaxed now, movements more fluid. 

Dave nodded, noting the way that Klaus’s eyelids drooped a bit more heavily, the redness in his eyes matching the redness that still colored the tips of his ears. He was still beautiful, loose and gooey, like he was melting in a good way. Dave didn’t even know what that meant—he just knew that it made him want to pull Klaus into his arms and snuggle with him. He wanted to feel the way he melted against Dave, maybe he’d help Dave melt too. He wasn’t sure if he’d always been this soft or if Klaus brought it out in him, but he also wasn’t sure that he cared. 

It was still early—Dave couldn’t go home yet, not without questions from his parents, but if Klaus was about to ask for a ride, he’d oblige and then find something else to do for awhile, maybe read for awhile before driving home. It made his chest feel tight, the thought of the evening being over already—he’d started out the night regretting even coming but already, he was wishing it would never end. He was surprised by Klaus’s words though—asking for a ride, but not in the way Dave had been expecting. 

“Would you want to go somewhere with me?” Klaus asked, turning towards Dave, pulling his leg up onto the bench so he could face him more fully. 

Dave’s eyebrows quirked together for a moment, unsure of what Klaus meant exactly—it sounded mysterious, so Dave narrowed his eyes suspiciously, though his expression was still playful. Was this flirting? He wasn’t sure how to flirt if he was being honest, but this felt like flirting. All of his interactions with Klaus felt like flirting.

“Oh? And where would you take me, hm?” He asked, eyes shifting to Klaus’s hands, where he was running his fingers back and forth idly under the ankle of his pants, fiddling with the hem. 

Klaus was looking at Dave when he returned his gaze to the other’s face, “Oh, I know of a place. You trust me?” 

Dave held Klaus’s gaze, the challenge that was there and he didn’t even have to think about it. He was already nodding. Of course he trusted him. Maybe he shouldn’t trust him so easily, but he couldn’t help it. No matter where Klaus asked to take him, Dave would follow. He could ask him to hang out under a sketchy bridge or trespass somewhere unsafe or explore the sewers and Dave would probably agree to go. Okay, maybe not the sewers, that sounded gross, but still. Dave was saying yes to wherever Klaus was asking to go. 

Klaus grinned and stood up, offering his hands palms up for Dave to use to stand as well. Dave didn’t need the help, but he took it anyway just so he could feel Klaus’s hands in his. They were warm and soft and once he was to his feet, he didn’t want to let go—he did anyway, but thankfully, the contact wasn’t over for long because Klaus was wrapping Dave’s wrist in his hand and began towing him toward the parking lot. Dave followed, not minding that Klaus seemed to like dragging Dave everywhere they went together—he was happy enough with the view and honestly, the enthusiasm was sort of endearing. 

Klaus didn’t know what Dave’s truck looked like and while that thought had occurred to Dave pretty much immediately, it seemed to take much longer to register with Klaus, which was amusing. He wondered how far he’d make it into the lot before realizing he didn’t know where he was going, but to his surprise, that moment never came. They wandered a bit, heading down the wrong aisle for a little while before Klaus started to circle them back up the other side, and to Dave’s surprise, led them right to Dave’s truck when it came into view. 

“How did you know what my truck looked like?” Dave asked dumbly, even more surprised because Klaus had asked for clarification that Dave did indeed even have a car. 

Klaus’s expression was a little sheepish when he turned around, but he plastered on a grin like the was trying to hide it, still holding Dave’s wrist. 

“I’ve seen you pulling out of the parking lot at school a few times. I’m more observant than you give me credit for,” he answered, tone teasing. 

Dave wasn’t going to let him off that easily. “You noticed me pulling out of the parking lot and memorized what my truck looks like? I’m not the only person in school who drives a red truck.”

Klaus knew he’d been caught, but he handled it better than Dave would have. He just shrugged and shot Dave a wink before letting go of his wrist to walk to the passenger side, his gait light, nearly bouncing. 

Dave’s face curled into a fond smile and he felt a little breathless—it was almost a confession of some sort, and Klaus hadn’t even said anything. It was impressive how easily Klaus could drive Dave crazy. He followed Klaus to the passenger side, nothing if not a gentleman. Klaus glanced at him with confusion on his expression as Dave pulled his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the truck. He opened his mouth to say something, but Dave was nearly on top of him then, crowding him against the truck a bit and Klaus’s expression went all shocked and intense, gaze fixed on Dave’s. 

Finally, Dave felt like he had the upper hand a little, he was the one making Klaus flustered. He reached past Klaus and popped open the passenger side door, watching Klaus swallow audibly as he did. Dave just smirked a little and took a step closer, making Klaus stumble a step back until they were in the space between the open cab and the door. Dave stopped and offered a hand to help Klaus climb up into the truck. 

“Couldn’t let you get your own door, that’d be rude of me,” he said innocently, palm up between them. 

Klaus’s eyes went wide before narrowing, clearly catching on to Dave’s little flirtation. There was a smile tugging on the edges of Klaus’s lips that he was clearly fighting. Instead of taking the offered palm, Klaus brought both of his hands up to the sides of Dave’s neck, ever so briefly as his hands traced down until they were planted on his shoulders. 

“Oh, Dave. My feet are so tired from all the dancing,” Klaus lied with a smirk, “Would you be a doll and help me up?” He asked, his eyes challenging. 

Dave’s breath hitched when Klaus’s fingertips brushed the skin of his neck and he rolled his eyes fondly, stepping in closer as his hands found Klaus’s hips. Now it was Klaus’s turn to lose his breath, biting his lip and Dave crowded closer and gathered his hips up easily, lifting him off his feet. He gasped, falling into Dave a little, arm wrapping around his neck quickly for support. It was only a moment though, and then Dave was pushing Klaus’s hips up onto the seat. 

Klaus let go of him and looked at him with wild eyes, grinning and shaking his head. “You’re good, Katz,” He said, narrowing his eyes as he turned to arrange himself fully in his seat. 

Dave just smiled and winked. “Buckle up,” he reminded him as he shut the door and walked around the truck to his own door, climbing up in one smooth motion. He glanced at Klaus who was just getting his seatbelt clicked into place while Dave put the key into the ignition, both of them bathed in the yellowed light from the overhead light for another second or two before it faded out as the engine started. 

They both smiled and averted their eyes. Dave put his seatbelt on and put the car in reverse, putting a hand on the back of Klaus’s seat so he could turn and see behind him as he pulled the truck out of the parking spot with his other hand. 

“Where to?” He asked, glancing at Klaus as he put the car in drive, one hand on the blinker, ready to indicate for whatever direction Klaus told him to go.

“Take a left,” Klaus instructed simply. Dave complied. 

It went on like this, Klaus giving simple instructions as they came to the turns, never giving anything away, and Dave didn’t push. He was sort of enjoying the anticipation. Klaus directed him through downtown out towards one of the quieter parts of the city. Eventually, Dave was instructed to park, so he did, killing the ignition. 

“Gonna open my door for me again, Katz?” Klaus asked teasingly, clearly enjoying the little game they had begun—flirting under the guise of manners. 

Dave was more than happy to play along. “Of course, darling.” He said, exaggerating the word darling which made Klaus laugh and bite his lip. 

Dave was pretty sure he was in love. He wasn’t sure where these bursts of confidence came from—they felt out of character for him, but with Klaus, it was somehow easy. It was easy to tease and play along and let go of his anxieties and just have fun. Klaus made him feel breathless and light and like his feet might just leave the ground at any moment. It was a whirlwind that had his heart beating hard and fast and Dave was quickly becoming addicted to it. 

He got out of the truck and walked quickly around to the other side, popping open the passenger door. Klaus turned to face him again but before Dave could reach out to help him down, Klaus held his hand up, twirling his finger. 

“Turn around,” he requested.   
Dave looked confused, but obeyed, turning slowly, suspiciously. As soon as his back was turned, he felt arms slide around his neck and knees pushing into the space between his body and his arms and then Klaus was jumping down, clinging to Dave’s back with a laugh. 

Dave let out an ‘oomph’ as the weight settled onto his back, but he was quick to curl his arms under Klaus’s knees to hold him up and once he was settled, he really wasn’t heavy at all. Dave laughed too and stepped away from the car, Klaus clung onto his back like a koala. 

He closed the door and locked it and felt Klaus’s face come down, chin resting on his should, nuzzling his face gently against Dave’s neck, which made him drop his keys as his breath left him like it’d been punched out of him. Klaus just laughed and Dave rolled his eyes fondly, leaning forward to balance Klaus up on top of his back as he squatted down to retrieve them. When Klaus was pitched forward, he squealed and wrapped his arms and legs around him tighter. 

“Dave! You’re gonna drop me!” He complained between laughter. 

“Never, you have no faith,” Dave quipped back, tucking the keys in his pockets as he righted himself, tucking his arms under Klaus’s knees again. “Where to?”

Klaus pointed down the sidewalk and let his legs dangle in Dave’s hold, swinging softly at his side and Dave nodded once and began walking in the direction Klaus had indicated. He knew Klaus had jumped on his back to be playful, another flirty little challenge, but Dave honestly just loved the feeling of Klaus clinging to him, holding his weight so easily, feeling the warm line of Klaus’s body pressed to him. They only had to go about a half block before Klaus was wiggling and Dave let him down on his feet. 

“This is the place!” He announced, making big jazz hands at the yellow storefront before them—a donut shop called Griddy’s. 

Dave smiled. Was this a date? It felt like a date.


	3. A Donut Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An impromptu date at the diner has Dave all sorts of flustered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on Tumblr: https://pickledbeefwastaken.tumblr.com/  
> Come chat about anything TUA related, I'm obsessing. 
> 
> This chapter is a bit shorter, but it's got the good stuff. Let me know what you want to see in Chapter 4! I'm flying by the seat of my pants here, I never planned to take this further than Chapter 1, so I don't really have much going in the way of plot right now. Help steer this fic!

Klaus was the first to the door, pulling it open for Dave this time, winking at him as he passed through before following. Klaus made a beeline for two seats at the counter, near the end. He had clearly been here before, and from the way that the woman behind the counter greeted him, he’d obviously been here lots of times. Dave took a seat on the stool beside Klaus, resting his hands on the counter in front of him while he looked up at the case of donuts, neatly lined on yellow trays. There was row after row after row of golden donuts dripping with glaze, elaborate twists, maple bars, powdered donuts, sprinkles of every shade, donuts iced in every color. They even looked fresh. 

“Hey, Agnes?” Klaus called, summoning the attention of the sweet older woman behind the counter. She wiped her hands on her apron and came to stand in front of them. 

“You two look awfully handsome. Are you just coming from the school dance?” She asked kindly, “Can’t say I’ve ever seen you in a dress shirt, Klaus.”

Klaus nodded, shrugging as he plucked at the collar of his white shirt, “The dance was okay. I picked up a stray there,” he said, shooting a teasing smile at Dave, “I think I pull it off, don’t you?”

Klaus straightened his button up shirt a bit, lifting his chin primly for Agnes’s evaluation. She chuckled and nodded. 

“Very handsome, kiddo. What’ll it be for you two boys tonight?” She asked, already turning to pick up a set of tongs and some plates. 

“I’ll take the usual raspberry and a coffee, please,” Klaus asked politely, turning to look at Dave expectantly. 

“Umm, just a plain glaze, please, thank you,” He requested, knowing he’d never sleep if he got a coffee, “Could I also get an orange juice?”

“Sure thing, sweetie. Coming right up,” Agnes replied, going about getting them their orders. 

“You would be a plain glaze kind of guy,” Klaus said, drawing Dave’s attention away from the case of glistening donuts. 

Dave could see the glint in Klaus’s eyes—something teasing and challenging, like he was daring him to defend his basic choice. He just smiled, leaning forward to rest his crossed arms against the countertop. 

“And you would be the type to order the messiest donut in existence.” 

Klaus snorted, “Touché. You know me too well, Davey.”

Dave didn’t though—he wanted to, absolutely he wanted to know everything there was to know about Klaus, but there was generally such a wall around him that it was hard to know anything for sure. He had his assumptions and guesses, but that’s all they felt like—guesses. Klaus was unpredictable. He wouldn’t be surprised if Klaus surprised him even on the points that Dave was most sure about. Klaus was contradiction and mystery, but he was also distance and guardedness. He had flawless defenses built up around him, sometimes sarcasm, sometimes humor, sometimes ferocity, sometimes he’d make it look like he’d dropped his defenses and you’d be met with the brunt of his undivided attention which was wholly intimidating. He was a master of diversion and deflection and even when Dave thought he saw something real, it wasn’t sure if it was real or pretend. 

Agnes came with his donuts then, setting them down before turning to pick up the drinks and bring those over as well. It’d broke a moment he hadn’t realized he’d been lost in, staring at Klaus like he was trying to puzzle him out, Klaus looking right back with an almost smug expression—something that taunted Dave into wanting more while telling him, “good luck finding what you’re looking for”. He glanced at his donut and took a sip of his orange juice while Klaus wasted no time digging right into his food. He picked up the powdered donut with both hands and tore it in half, nearly spilling the raspberry filling everywhere. Dave watched in near horror at how messy and chaotic watching Klaus eat was. By the time he’d taken just one bite, he had powdered sugar on every finger, his lower lip, and the tip of his nose and managed to get raspberry jelly running down his pinky. 

He tried not to stare, picking up his donut like a sane person, between just two fingers to minimize stickiness, and took a careful bite. Klaus though, he ate his food with no shame whatsoever, humming at the taste and licking up the side of his hand, which made Dave blush watching that pink tongue run across his skin. 

“You have a little something on your nose,” He commented, lips curling into a fond smile that he had absolutely no chance in Hell of fighting. 

Klaus smiled too, not even a little bit sheepish. He turned in his seat to face Dave a little more, lifting his chin as he swallowed. Dave watched his Adam’s apple bob down the column of his throat and dragged his eyes back up to Klaus’s face. “Gonna get it for me?” He asked, eyes fixed on Dave’s. He knew what he was doing. 

Dave rolled his eyes playfully and reached over, holding Klaus’s face still with fingertips against his cheek, brushing his thumb back and forth across the tip of his nose to brush the dust away, but before he could pull his hand away, Klaus tipped his head up a bit more, tongue peeking out to drag up the pad of Dave’s thumb. Dave’s breath caught audibly and he clacked his mouth shut, freezing as he looked at Klaus with wide eyes, cheeks quickly growing redder and redder. He looked worried around the donut shop, wondering if anyone else had seen that, but Agnes had gone to the back and they were the only customers around. While Dave’s head was turned, Klaus had taken full advantage and closed his lips around Dave’s thumb. 

Dave’s eyes shot back to Klaus and oh God, that was an image he was not going to forget anytime soon—the full heat of Klaus’s green eyes staring right back at him with his pink lips on Dave’s thumb. Dave’s breath left him like he’d been punched in the gut, staring back at Klaus with wide eyes as he bit down on his lip. Klaus ran his tongue just once against the pad of Dave’s thumb before pulling his head back, releasing him, looking at him with a sly, shit-eating grin. 

“Thanks, Davey,” He said innocently, turning to take a sip of his coffee. 

Dave was certain he was blushing up to his hairline, stomach flip-flopping and heart beating hard in his chest. Agnes returned then and Dave quickly lifted his orange juice to take a gulp, more so he had something to hide behind, doing a much worse job than Klaus at playing it cool. He felt inexplicably guilty and exhilarated, like he’d just gotten away with robbing the place right under Agnes’s nose. 

Klaus reached over to put a hand on Dave’s knee, probably to remind him to play it cool, to calm down, that they were okay, but he hadn’t been expecting it and he was still very keyed up from a moment before and he ended up choking on his orange juice a little. He sputtered, setting his cup down and lifting a napkin to his mouth as he turned away from Klaus and coughed hard enough to make his eyes water. He could hear Klaus laughing behind him, bright and effervescent as he rubbed Dave’s back apologetically. 

“Oh dearest, you alright? I’ll get you some water,” Agnes said, hurrying back to the sink. Dave turned and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, glaring playfully at Klaus who was grinning from ear to ear, looking exactly like the Cheshire Cat. He was obviously pretty pleased with himself. 

“I’m going to get you back for that,” Dave said lowly, just before Agnes returned with a glass for him. 

Dave thanked her, voice a little rough before taking a few sips to soothe his throat. 

“Anything you can do, I can do better,” Klaus sing-songed beside him, an obvious warning that any retaliation on Dave’s part would begin an all out war. 

Dave fought a smile—He would so absolutely lose whatever this war was—trying to make the other blush? Flirting? He wasn’t sure exactly, but he didn’t care. Whatever it was, he wanted to play. The thought of having Klaus teasing him, trying to get him to turn red, was equal parts terrifying and exhilarating. He would be embarrassed as all Hell, sure, but it was so worth it. 

He pulled out his wallet and put some cash on the counter before finishing his glass of water, clearing his throat. Klaus meanwhile, was wiping his hands clean on a napkin, taking another gulp of coffee. They both got up at the same time, clearly on the same page about it being time to go. 

“Thank you, Agnes!” Klaus called, waving goodbye to the woman. Dave waved politely as well, holding the door for Klaus this time as they stepped out into the cool night air. 

Dave was breathless, from Klaus's little move in the donut shop, sure, but also from the cumulation of the entire evening. Everything from Klaus talking to him near the punchbowl to now felt like a fever dream, something that might disappear if he blinked. There was a very real part of him that was afraid he'd wake up at any moment and all of this would be gone. He looked at Klaus, who was already looking at Dave with a pensive expression. 

"You look troubled," Dave commented, reaching out to poke the wrinkles between Klaus's eyebrows in an attempt to loosen them up. 

Klaus huffed indignantly but his lips with tilting up at the corners, "Just lost in thought, that's all."

Dave nodded, continuing to walk beside Klaus back toward the truck at a slow pace, "You gonna share with the class?" 

Klaus drew his gaze away then, looking at the ground a few feet in front of them, pursing his lips as if considering whether or not he was going to let Dave in on whatever was going on in his head. Dave watched, glancing back to the sidewalk ahead of them periodically to ensure he didn't trip over something or drift off the curb, but otherwise kept his eyes expectantly on Klaus's profile. Eventually, it seemed like Klaus came to a decision because he stopped walking and turned to face Dave entirely. Dave stopped too, mirroring his position.

"I like you, Dave. And it's weird, I don't usually like people—not like this," Klaus stated decisively, pausing with his mouth open like he was going to continue, but clicking it shut soon after, deciding against it. 

Dave could feel his heart begin beating faster in his chest. He was pretty sure his palms were sweating too. He looked back at Klaus, feeling exposed and vulnerable as Klaus awaited Dave's response. He wasn't sure how Klaus kept such a composure about him when for Dave, the admission felt like it had wrapped around his heart and pulled. His nerves were awake and all he could hear was the sound of blood rushing in his ears. He swallowed hard, not knowing what kind of raw, vulnerable expression was on his face, but he was hopeless to try to shape it into anything else. 

"I really like you too, Klaus." Dave said, voice soft and honest.

Klaus's lip quirked up a little, "Yeah?"

"Yeah. A lot. I have for awhile now."

Klaus moved then, stepping in closer, right into Dave's space so they were nearly chest to chest. He brought his arms up to wrap around his neck, much like they were arranged back at the dance when the slow song had played. He looked directly into Dave's eyes and the power of Klaus's attention on him made him feel like he was growing and shrinking at the same time. He brought his hands to Klaus's waist, sliding them around him securely, pressing his palms to Klaus's back. 

"I'm going to kiss you now," Klaus announced, voice quiet as his eyes softened and fell to Dave's mouth. 

Dave unconsciously licked his lips, leaning his head forward to press their foreheads together, smiling a little. His heart was full out sprinting in his chest now. 

"You'd really make my night if you did," He responded in a whisper, lip quirking up. 

That was all the permission either of them needed and they both moved in at the same time, noses sliding past each other before their lips made contact. His heart studdered in his chest and a rush of butterflies fluttered through his stomach and he sighed softly against Klaus's plush lips, kissing him again, capturing his top lip between his own. Klaus shivered against him and Dave smiled against his lips, breaking the kiss after another few seconds. 

"You're good at that," Klaus commented breathlessly, face breaking into a wide smile as he rested his forehead back on Dave's. 

"Yeah?" Dave asked in surprise, gaze falling sheepishly away from Klaus's, "I'm glad, I don't exactly have a lot of practice to draw from."

Klaus laughed softly and hugged him tighter, "I'd never know. It was probably my favorite first kiss ever," he said, nudging Dave's nose gently with his own, trying to get him to look up again. 

Dave complied, bringing his gaze back to Klaus who smiled again, "You're cheeks are awfully pink. I'm definitely winning," he commented, expression going teasing and coy.

Dave laughed, not expecting that comment. He narrowed his eyes competitively and brushed a hand down Klaus's back to rest on his hip, thumb brushing the bare skin between his shirt and his pants. Klaus bit his lip in response. 

"Not for long," Dave warned, to which Klaus laughed, wiggling out of Dave's grip. 

"You'll have to catch me first!" He called, already running down the sidewalk. 

Oh, it was on.


	4. Game On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fluff continues, and Dave suggests a new venue.

Dave was easily faster than Klaus—He played football and ran track and woke up before the sun every day to go for a run. It also helped that Klaus was buzzed and stoned. He didn't stand a chance. The only reason he managed to get to the truck before Dave was because he'd gotten a head start. Klaus tried the handle, realizing the door was locked and turned just in time for Dave to catch up, grabbing his sides with tickling fingers that made Klaus shout and let out a loud peal of laughter that had Dave's heart lighting up. His hands were scrabbling at Dave's wrists, trying desperately to wiggle himself free before his knees buckled. He laughed as he sunk down against Dave and probably would have made it all the way to the ground if Dave hadn't wrapped an arm around him and caught him before he could. Dave hadn't even realized how hard he was laughing too until he pulled Klaus up to his feet again, curling his other arm around Klaus's waist.

"If you make me pee my pants, I'm going to murder you, Dave." Klaus said, trying for stern but he was still giggling as he wrapped his arms around Dave's neck. 

Dave swayed him back and forth, guiding him back in towards the truck until he could gently lean Klaus up against it, "Aww, but I know you're secret now—You're ticklish! And that was the best laugh I've ever heard, how do you expect me to resist?" He teased, pulling back to look at Klaus with fond eyes, hands cupping the sides of his waist. 

Klaus was grinning, face flushed with excitement. His eyes were bright and sparkling like a child seeing an amusement park for the first time. Clearly Dave wasn't in too much trouble, so he took advantage, smiling happily as he swayed in to kiss his cheek sweetly, sliding his nose against the soft skin of Klaus's cheek to gently nudge against Klaus's nose before kissing him softly. Klaus sighed, tension melting from his body as he shifted closer to Dave, reeling him in by tightening his arms around Dave's neck. Even just this had Dave's heart racing in his chest. 

"You're so beautiful," Dave said quietly once the kiss ended, not moving back to speak—he just murmured the words right into Klaus's mouth, lips brushing as he spoke. 

That made Klaus’s breath shudder out of him, dancing warmly against Dave’s lips. Lifting his forehead just the barest amount necessary for his eyes to focus on Klaus’s, Dave took him in, seeing something soft in Klaus’s gaze—soft but intense. He could feel the warmth of it pulse through him from chest to fingertips. Klaus was looking at him like he was the most incredible, indescribable thing he’d ever seen. It was how Dave imagined he’d look at the northern lights or Angkor Wat, or a total eclipse. It’d seemed like a simple enough statement—surely Klaus had been told that before, plenty of times, because it was so absolutely, undeniably true and not just because Dave had a crush on him—Any person with eyes could see that Klaus was beautiful. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He asked, lip quirking up a little, though his brows furrowed curiously. 

Klaus’s expression shifted, like he hadn’t realized he was looking at him any sort of way and had been caught off guard by it being mentioned—Dave suspected that was exactly what had happened. He blinked a few times, but his eyes never strayed. 

“Looking at you like what?”

“Like...like you’re starving and I’m a bowl of ice cream,” Dave laughed, “Or like you just saw a shooting star for the first time. Surely people have told you that you’re beautiful before.” 

Klaus’s expression relaxed a little, eyes going soft again. 

“They have,” Klaus agreed, but shook his head, “But not like that. Not like you did.” 

Dave’s face bent into something confused and he tilted his head to the side, trying to piece together what Klaus had meant. How had Dave said it? It’d slipped from his lips in the heat of the moment, so he wasn’t sounding any particular way on purpose—what had he let slip along with his words? What emotion had wriggled it’s way free?

“You said it like...like you thought that *I* was beautiful, not just...my outsides.” He said, grimacing. 

Dave was starting to understand what Klaus was saying—Dave thought Klaus’s personality was beautiful too, that’s what he meant, right? It was absolutely true, despite some of the stuff that he knew Klaus did, the stuff people said Klaus did, Dave thought Klaus was incredible. He was enigmatic and mysterious and magnetic. He could be sharp, a barbed thing that you didn’t want to poke at when it wasn’t invited, but Dave didn’t see that as him being cruel—it was him protecting himself and easy ferocity that sometimes crossed him was compelling. It was such stark contrast from the other side of Klaus, gooey nonchalance and unaffectedness that Dave knew was an act, but was awed by nonetheless. No matter how hard Dave tried, he could never keep his cool the way Klaus could. 

Klaus continued with Dave didn’t speak, groaning and rolling his neck, “I just mean—the way you said it was like you weren’t calling me beautiful the way that some guys call me sexy or hot or pretty. It was like...It was sorta like you weren’t talking about what I look like? Christ, I sound like a sap—I just mean that you...You said it like you weren’t looking for something out of saying it. Like...like you meant it, I don’t know.” 

Dave could feel Klaus’s fingertips dancing animatedly against his shoulders, like he was gesturing with his hands without actually dislodging them from Dave’s body. His cheeks were turning pink too, along with the tips of his ears. Slowly, as Klaus rambled, a smile grew over Dave’s face until it was blinding. Klaus was actually flustered. Dave had accidentally won a round. He knew the expression he was wearing on his face was that of the cat who’d caught the canary, if the way Klaus’s eyes narrowed was anything to go by. 

“Got you all tongue-tied and flustered, did I?” He asked slyly, tilting his chin up to press a kiss to Klaus’s nose, “Is that a point to me?” 

Klaus groaned exaggeratedly, but laughed, turning a half-hearted glare on Dave.

“Very sneaky, Katz. I’m watching you,” He said, still a little breathless. 

Dave just grinned and pressed in, nuzzling his face against the side of Klaus’s neck playfully, trying to make him giggle, wanting to hear the sound again. It worked—a small laugh bubbled out of Klaus’s throat and he swatted Dave’s shoulder. 

“You know I’m going to get you back just as good and it’ll be *so* easy, right?” Klaus said, sliding his arms down so he could rest his palms flat against Dave’s chest. 

Dave lifted his head and looked at him, clearly not threatened. He snaked a hand down into his pocket and unlocked his truck, popping the door open beside Klaus with a smirk. Klaus glanced over at the door and Dave took the opportunity to squat down and easily scoop Klaus up over his shoulder. Klaus gasped, hands scrambling for purchase against Dave’s back so he wouldn’t fall. 

“Not while you’re buckled in, you won’t,” Dave rebutted, placing a hand on Klaus’s lower back, his other arm wrapped around his knees so he was secure. 

“Ha! You think *you’re* winning? I’m the one with an excellent view of your ass, Davey,” Klaus said. 

Dave felt one of Klaus’s hands slither down his back to pinch his backside and he jumped a little, hip twitching to one side. It tickled more than anything, making his muscle jump unexpectedly beneath his skin. For payback, Dave dipped quickly so for a second, Klaus would think he was dropping him. 

“Dave!” Klaus shouted, voice somehow a mix of frightened and indignant, hands fisting into his jacket. 

Dave laughed and took the one step forward it took to get aligned with the cab. He leaned down, keeping a hand on Klaus’s back so it’d slide up and catch the back of Klaus’s head if he righted too quickly. He didn’t want Klaus to smack his head on the doorframe. Luckily, Klaus sat back into the seat without any hiccups and Dave playfully pushed Klaus’s legs in, forcing him around the right way in the seat. Klaus was grinning, eyes bright. Dave loved how playful he was, how much he beamed when he could tease and joke and play around with him. He took the seatbelt in his hand and placed one foot up on the ledge of the car so he could push up and lean his free hand against the back of Klaus’s seat. He hovered over him and buckled him in. Once he heard the click, he smiled and leaned down to press a quick chaste kiss to Klaus’s lips. 

One of Klaus’s hands came up to catch Dave by the collar before he could get more than a few inches away, already reeling him back in with intent, focused eyes. They dipped to Dave’s lips and then they were kissing again, hotter this time, Klaus’s tongue brushing against Dave’s lower lip, making him hum and shudder, having to tighten his grip on the back of Klaus’s seat to keep himself from slipping. Heat rushed up to his face and down to his stomach in the same instance. The press of Klaus’s lips was more insistent now, fingertips sliding up the sides of Dave’s sensitive neck, continuing up to thread into the short hair at the back of his head. A sound escaped him that should probably be embarrassing—something high and keening. 

Klaus broke the kiss then, sitting back, hands leaving Dave. When Dave opened his eyes, it was a too a very smug smirk on Klaus’s face. 

“I’m still winning,” Klaus reminded him with a wink, playfully flicking Dave’s red ear. 

Dave’s brain was still reeling from the heat of that kiss and he was sure that the look on his face must be positively dopey, but he managed to glare. 

“It’s on, sweetheart,” he warned, still a little breathless. 

Klaus had a glint in his eye as he grinned. Dave climbed down out of the car and made sure Klaus’s hands and legs were all inside safely before he closed the door and circled around to the driver’s side, climbing in. 

“Where to next? Do I need to have you home at a certain hour?” Dave asked, putting the keys in the ignition. 

“I’m not going to turn into a pumpkin at midnight, if that’s what you’re asking,” Klaus teased. 

Dave turned the engine over and put his own seatbelt on, glancing at Klaus, “Then I have an idea for something to do,” He said, putting the car in drive and pulling away from the curb. 

He waited until they were up to coasting speed before glancing at Klaus with a smile. 

“How good is your balance?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave shows Klaus something special and though there might be a hint of angst here, everything will be okay.

Days like this weren’t supposed to happen. It had to be a cosmic alignment so rare that the likes of it had maybe never even been seen before. It could be a slip into an alternate timeline or perhaps he was dying in a hospital and this was some sort of comatose fever dream. Only thing was, he wasn’t this creative—even his wildest dreams couldn’t conjure up an image as vivid as Klaus. His mind wasn’t capable of creating laughter so bright or a smile so dazzling or a person so thrilling. 

Dave drove them out of town and up into the dense forest that bordered the city. He knew exactly where he wanted to take Klaus, though it was a bit of a drive. It’d give them time to talk, at least. He realized a bit belatedly that Klaus might think it was creepy that Dave was driving him up into the woods in the dark. He hadn’t really thought of that at first, and now he felt kinda bad to be keeping this a surprise. He glanced at Klaus, whose expression seemed curious, but not terribly scared or concerned. 

“I’m not being a creep, I swear. I just realized how this probably looks,” he commented sheepishly, shooting Klaus a reassuring smile—at least, he hoped it’d be reassuring. 

Klaus looked at him with an expression that seemed inexplicably coy and teasing. Dave knew his own face was probably some mix of concern and confusion as he glanced back at him. 

“Davey, you seem more nervous than I am about it. *Should* I be worried?” He asked, turning in his seat a little more to face Dave more fully. 

“No!” Dave said vehemently. “I can tell you where we’re going if you are worried. But I promise you’re safe.” 

Klaus drummed his fingertips against his chin as he considered, “Hmm. I trust you. For now.” 

When Dave glanced over, Klaus was smiling, so Dave smiled too, reaching across the divide between them to smooth his hand over the back of Klaus’s. His stomach fluttered when Klaus turned his hand over to match their fingertips together before interlacing their hands. It was perhaps a silly thing to get flustered over, holding hands, but it wasn’t really the act itself, it was the fact that it was with Klaus. It made things seem real and hopeful in a way that maybe the rest of the night hadn’t quite been. Everything with Klaus so far had been such a dream that it was hard to believe that it was real. It was even harder to believe that Klaus would still feel the same way in the morning. This little thing, the way Klaus held onto Dave’s hand so he didn’t pull it away, it felt deeper than just a night of fun that they’d pretend never happened the next day. 

Dave pulled Klaus’s hand up to kiss the back of it before returning them to rest on Klaus’s thigh and when he glanced over, he swear he could see Klaus blushing as he looked down at their hands. There was a small smile on his face and when he glanced at Dave to see that he’d been looking, he smiled brighter and turned his head to look out the window. Dave just grinned and turned his attention back to the road. 

“So, this mystery location,” Klaus prompted, “What sort of activities does one do there?” 

Dave smiled and considered for a moment. What could he say without giving it all away. 

“Well...” he said, taking his time, “It’s got some pretty great stargazing, if you’re into that.” 

It was true, but it wasn’t why Dave was bringing Klaus there. If Klaus decided that’s what he wanted to do though, Dave kept a blanket under the backseat and they could lay it out and just lay in the grass for the night. There was plenty of other stuff to do though too—Dave and his older brother Michael had assembled a sort of home away from home that they could go to. It was just a simple abandoned campsite hidden off of one of the overgrown hiking trails that nobody took anymore, but for them, it’d been their clubhouse, their safe haven. They’d put in a slack line and screwed a target into a tree, stashed some throwing knives and frisbees and a football. They’d fixed the picnic table that’d been falling apart and found new rocks to ring in the fire pit with. They’d even hung some battery powered lights in the trees so when they went on overnight camping trips, they could play cards until the small hours of the morning.

"Oh, Dave, how romantic," Klaus gushed, though his voice was exaggerated and the smile on his features was both teasing and genuinely happy, so Dave could take the ribbing. 

Dave just winked at him and kept driving. It was only a few more minutes until Dave pulled off on the little dirt road, one that people would miss if they weren't looking for it. They went another half-mile or so up into the hills before he pulled the truck off into a little alcove between two trees and turned the car off, glancing at Klaus. 

"Wait here just a second, okay?" he said, reaching into the backseat to grab the blanket he kept there and hopped out of the car. 

He made his way down the short, familiar path, hand feeling along the bark of a distinct tree until his hand closed around the battery pack for the lights. He flipped the switch and bathed the campsite in a warm, yellowish glow from the twinkly lights strung from tree to tree overhead. he smiled at how nice it looked, hoping Klaus thought it was as nice as he did. He set the blanket down on the picnic table, glancing around the little site to make sure everything was where it should be and like usual, it was. 

When he was sure that things were right, the forest was appropriately quiet, and the slack line was at the right tension, he returned to the truck, opening the passenger door for Klaus. 

"Holy shit, Dave. This is like..." Klaus said, turning his body to begin to climb out of the car, but his eyes were still glued to the campsite through the windshield. It made Dave's stomach perform a little show of acrobatics as he took Klaus's waist between his hands to help him down. When Klaus's feet landed on the ground, he finally tore his gaze away and when he looked at Dave, his expression was intense. He was looking at Dave with a mixture of awe and confusion on his face. There was something vulnerable about Klaus's gaze, a certain rawness that Dave could describe. 

"Is...this okay?" he asked quietly, eyebrows knitting together in concern. 

Klaus's expression shifted when he saw the look on Dave's face, "Oh, God yes. Dave, are you kidding? This is..." His voice trailed off again, turning his head to look at the little campsite and this time, Dave turned his head too. 

This time, he looked at the spot with fresh eyes, like looking at it through Klaus's gaze and he thought he might understand why Klaus was a little speechless. In the dark, the twinkly lights strung through the trees looked hazy and magical and the space was surrounded by dark forest that was more comforting than frightening in some odd way. It was cozy and though Dave couldn't put his finger on exactly what it was about their little campsite, you could just feel that it was well loved. Maybe it was just him connecting so many good memories to this place, but he figured that Klaus must feel it too, judging by his speechlessness. 

He realized then that it might be too much. It was romantic, really romantic looking. It was the kind of place where he could see himself one day proposing to the person he'd fall in love with. Considering Klaus had only just started to hover in some liminal space between friends and more tonight, it seemed like too much. His heart beat faster and he felt dread tightening his stomach. His face heated on its own accord and he swallowed hard, drawing his gaze back to Klaus, taking a minute to absorb the look on Klaus's face, at least, as much of it as he could see when Klaus's face was in profile. 

"We can go, this is a lot. I know, I see that now, this was...Sorry. This was stupid," He stammered, letting go of Klaus's waist, averting his eyes.

Klaus didn't let him get far though. One second, Dave was stepping back to give Klaus a little bit of space and the next his arms were full of Klaus. He stumbled back a step or two when Klaus jumped at him, but his brain caught up quickly and he wrapped his arms around Klaus's waist, tentative at first, but then he squeezed him tighter, matching the death grip Klaus had around his neck. 

"Klaus?" he asked softly, registering how hard the other was breathing.

"Dave, it's not too much, it's...I love it, I just...Nobody's ever—" Klaus tried to explain between breaths, voice quivering. 

Dave rubbed his back gently, holding him securely while he waited for him to calm down a little. He didn't like that he'd made Klaus upset, but the knot in his stomach was loosening as he realized that maybe Klaus was overwhelmed in a good way instead of a bad way. 

"I'm not making you uncomfortable?" he asked when Klaus seemed a bit calmer. 

Dave had driven him up into the woods with nobody around for miles, to a spot that was already arranged romantically. It may have been creepy. It could easily be creepy. If Klaus was overwhelmed, he may not want to feel so isolated with Dave being his only way out of here. The thought that Klaus might be scared or worried made his stomach turn, but Klaus was hugging him tightly. His hands were fisted in Dave's shirt and so Dave relaxed a little. 

Klaus shook his head, finally pulling himself back far enough that Dave could see his face. He looked at Dave squarely and brought a palm to his warm cheek. 

"I'm not uncomfortable. I'm just...I—Nobody has ever done something like this for me. I mean—I know it's not /for/ me, I mean. You must take all your dates here?" Klaus said, voice a little thick, but he said the last part like he was trying to tease, turn this into a joke or a flirtation.

Dave shook his head. "No. I didn't put it together for you, that's true. But you're the only person I've ever brought here, besides my brother. We made this spot together. It was ours. It's been just mine for awhile now," he said, alluding to his brother being gone but not wanting to address it so directly. 

Klaus's eyes flickered with recognition and for that, Dave was grateful. He wouldn't have to explain it to him—not yet at least. He wasn't sure he would have been able to talk about his brother, not when his heart already felt so raw and open in front of Klaus, not standing in the glow of his brother's spot. 

"I know it's a lot," Dave said, chuckling a little, trying to loosen up the tension a little, "I just thought it might be nice and there's some stuff to do. We've got a slack line and a hammock and a target for throwing knives and I was being honest about the stargazing thing."

Klaus nodded and pressed up to kiss Dave, who melted into the contact, arms winding tighter around Klaus's waist. He leaned into the kiss just as much, Klaus's body bowing back as he clung to Dave's shoulders. When they parted, Dave rested his forehead against Klaus's and straightened them back out, slowly loosening his arms around Klaus's waist to rest his palms on his hips. 

"What do you want to do first?" Dave asked with a smile, whispering the words into the small space between their mouths. 

Klaus smiled, "I've never tried the slack line before. Is it hard?" he asked. 

Dave lifted his head to look at him and grinned. "Yeah, it is. But don't worry, I'll hold your hand," he teased, doing as he said and taking Klaus's hand in his, "Come on."

He led him through the campsite to the slack line that was strung between two strong trees. He toed off his shoes and let go of Klaus's hand. 

"It's easier without your shoes on. I'll show you how and then you can try," he explained. 

He took a breath and focused, stepping up carefully and slowly on one end of the line. When he felt like his feet were under him, he took his hand off the tree and walked across the line, knowing he made it look easier than it really was. He'd had a lot of practice. He smiled at Klaus when the got to the end, turning to come back the other way, wobbling the line back and forth beneath him intentionally. He stopped in the middle and let himself drop to one knee on the line before bouncing back up to his feet, then let himself fall backwards, absorbing the impact along his spine before bouncing back up to his feet again. After that, he hopped down and looked at Klaus. 

"Maybe today we just see if we can get you walking on it though," he teased with a wink. 

Klaus looked at him, obviously impressed. "God, you're beautiful /and/ kind /and/ athletic /and/ acrobat now too?" he questioned, shaking his head, "Show off," he added under his breath, though he gave Dave a smile to let him know it was a joke. 

Dave took the jab and grinned, offering his hand to Klaus. Klaus took it cautiously and toed his shoes off too. He put one foot up on the line, leaning heavily on Dave's hand and his other arm that was planted against the tree. He psyched himself up for a moment before trying to step up. He managed to get his other foot up to the line but lost his balance entirely the second he was up. Dave caught him under his arms so he wouldn't stumble all the way down to his ass and laughed. 

"See? I told you it was hard. Try to keep your stomach muscles really tight and stay over your feet. And bend your knees a little. You can do it," Dave encouraged. 

Klaus huffed indignantly but returned to his spot by the tree. It took him a bit longer to psyche himself up this time, but he did eventually put a foot up on the line and lifted his other off the ground, more slowly this time. The line wobbled precariously under Klaus, but he managed to get it under control until he had both feet on it. 

"Ha! I did it!" he exclaimed, grinning down at Dave, though he held himself stiffly so as not to lose the delicate balance he'd found. 

Dave smiled back, still holding his hand firmly. "Good job! Now try to take a step," he instructed, "Get your balance centered over one foot, then move the other slowly, then shift your weight to be split between the two." 

Klaus listened and nodded, sticking his tongue out of the side of his mouth in concentration. The line wobbled as he adjusted his weight to rest over his right foot, but again he held it. Gently, he moved his foot, taking a tiny step forward on the rope with his left. 

"Woohoo!" Dave shouted, probably a little too exaggerated for Klaus small victory, but it made Klaus laugh. 

On the next step, Klaus's foot slipped off the line and he stumbled off, feet landing in the grass. Dave made sure he was steady before helping him up again. 

It continued like that, Dave giving Klaus gentle instruction, holding his hand the whole way, and Klaus stumbling on the line. It took six or seven tries and lots of laughter, but eventually, Klaus made it almost more than halfway down the line in one go, shifting from one foot to the other. 

"The middle is hard because it's so much looser. And after that, you have to walk back up the line so your center of gravity changes," he explained as he steadied Klaus, kissing his cheek as he did, "But you're doing really great. You're a quick learner." 

Klaus smiled and batted his eyelashes at him. "You go again. Show me more of your fancy tricks," he requested, clearly a little out of breath.

Dave did as he was asked, climbing up on the slack line. He bounced on it for a moment, considering what move to do. He started with a simple somersault along the line, followed by another few drops to his back and his knee, getting the feel for it. 

"Okay, step back. I don't always land this one," he warned. 

When he was sure Klaus was a safe distance away, he concentrated, bouncing a few times before he gave a hard bounce and threw himself backwards. He did a clean backflip, managing to hold his balance for a few moments before he had to swing his arms and ended up having to step off the line. He laughed. 

"Almost. I'll get better at it," he shrugged, sitting on the line toward the center, sinking halfway to the ground. 

Klaus gave him a round of applause, practically skipping over to drop down on the line next to Dave, making it dip further. Their weight in the center made it so they slid close, shoulders pressed impossibly close, but Dave obviously didn't mind, smiling. 

"You're pretty good at this stuff," Klaus complimented, leaning his head on Dave's shoulder. "I'm impressed."

Dave smiled and twined their fingers together. "I've had a lot of practice. My brother and I used to come here all the time. It was our getaway." 

Klaus was looking at Dave with intensity in his eyes that he couldn't interpret. He just looked back, caught helplessly in that gaze. He looked at Dave like he was trying to figure him out, like he was fighting some internal civil war, though he couldn't guess at what it might be about. Dave just looked back, feeling like his chest was flayed open, like all of his clockwork parts were on display for Klaus's eyes to take in and it was equally terrifying and electrifying. It was a feeling that wrapped around his heart, warm and staticky in equal measure. 

"Why'd you bring me here, Dave?" Klaus eventually asked. 

Normally, Dave would have answered right away, noting the little things to do, the privacy, how pretty the woods were, but after the long look from Klaus, he knew those weren't the answers that he was searching for. Dave took a breath and his gaze fell away, down to their entwined hands. He thought about his answer. Klaus and Dave had talked at school during class sometimes, they were casual friends when it was convenient that they were near each other. They didn't spend time together outside of school or plan to see each other at school outside of the classes they shared. Granted, Dave had the world's biggest crush on Klaus, but it didn't change the fact that before tonight, they'd barely even been what you could call friends. To bring Klaus to a place so near and dear to his heart was weird and Dave knew that. 

He lifted a shoulder a little in a meek shrug, chest feeling tighter and heavier than it had before. It was a cop-out to deliver his words with his eyes cowardly on their hands instead of speaking to Klaus's face, but Dave worried that if he looked up, the words might dissipate and he wouldn't find the strength the say them again. 

"Because I like you. I've liked you for a long time. And because I trust you. And because I don't want this to be a place that I come to alone anymore. I want to share this place with you." He finally said. 

There was subtext that wandered beneath his words. This place had been shared once before, and Klaus was the first person Dave felt close enough to to want to share it again. Maybe that was sad, considering Klaus and him weren't close, save for some friendly conversation and flirtation, but it was the truth. His words had betrayed how much more than a casual night of dancing this was in Dave's eyes and the more Dave thought about it, the longer Klaus was quiet, the more he was convinced that perhaps he'd laid too much of himself bare, left too many pieces of himself unguarded and vulnerable on the table. He'd offered Klaus a piece of his heart that he shouldn't have the pressure of deciding whether to keep or not. 

"Dave," Klaus spoke, voice more gentle than Dave had ever heard it before, barely above a whisper, "Dave, look at me." 

Dave's heart was already hammering as his anxiety about what he'd said spiraled, but he obeyed regardless. He couldn't deny him anything he asked for, especially not when it came in such a soft tone. He brought his eyes back up to meet Klaus's, his heart full-on racing in an uneven sprint. What he saw there was an expression that was somehow both soft —the face of someone who'd been touched by what they heard—and concerned. Dave wasn't sure what to make of it, so he waited with a held breath for Klaus to speak. 

Klaus, for the first time seemingly, was at a loss for words. That only made Dave feel more panicky, more like he'd just stuck his stupid foot in quicksand and was sinking fast. It'd been stupid, bringing Klaus out here, telling him how much he meant to him...God, Klaus was probably freaked out. Dave could feel the rise of word vomit in his throat, just about ready to open his mouth and let whatever came out free, probably a few profuse apologies, maybe a joke to try to dispel the tension, a shaky declaration that it was okay if Klaus didn't like him like that, but luckily Klaus finally said something just in time to keep Dave from further embarrassing himself. 

"I like you too," Klaus said.

His tone was simple, a statement that after so much thought seemed to come so easily for him. It didn't match his expression though. Klaus still looked concerned and when he spoke again, Dave was already anticipating the 'but', though anticipating it didn't stop his stomach from sinking all the same when it came. 

"But...Dave, look, I..." Klaus stammered, dropping his own gaze now. He pulled his hand from Dave's, suddenly restless, and stood up from the slack line. 

Dave's stomach dropped and his heart felt like a fist was wrapped around it, squeezing it tight with another wrapped around his throat. His skin prickled along his hairline as the shame of rejection flooded his system. He kept his eyes on Klaus politely, letting him finish what he was going to say, but internally, he was panicking, trying to shut off emotions, trying to repress the urge to shed tears, trying to will the color away from his cheeks. 

Klaus paced back and forth the length of the slack line in front of Dave, wringing his hands together. Dave was helpless to do anything but volley his head back and forth to track his path and wait. 

"Dave, I'm shit," Klaus finally said, to Dave's surprise. 

It certainly hadn't been what he'd expected to hear. 

"I smoke and I drink and I sleep around and I'll do just about any drug I can get my hands on and I've got a fucked up family and fucked up problems you can't even begin to understand. I'm failing most of my classes and I'm probably going to drop out next term and I might even run away from home, and just—Dave, you don't want this. You can't want me, you deserve better. A lot better." Klaus said, the words leaving in a rush that sounded as panicked as Dave felt. 

Dave's body moved without his asking it to, standing and striding the few paces between them quickly to cup the back of Klaus's head and pull him in. He cradled Klaus's head against his shoulder and wrapped his other arm tight around his waist, shaking his head. 

"No, Klaus. None of that matters. That stuff doesn't make you who you are. I like you, no matter what it is you do or what family you come from or how well you do in school," he said, the words leaving him sounding much more adamant and stern than he thought he was capable of after the last minute of inner turmoil, "Breathe. Hey, I'm not asking you to marry me. Just share my little park with me when you need somewhere to get away for awhile. And maybe don't hate me if I kind of have a huge crush on you." 

The last part came out a little lighter, like a joke, thought it was honest. Thankfully, it drew a huffed laugh from Klaus against his shoulder. Finally, Klaus's posture relaxed a little and he brought his arms up to wrap tightly around Dave's waist. He nuzzled in closer, pressing his face securely into the soft spot at the front of Dave's shoulder and Dave just gently stroked his fingers through his hair. It was a long minute or two before Klaus spoke. 

"Yeah, okay. But only because I have a really huge crush on you too. This doesn't mean we're dating," Klaus clarified, lifting his head to level Dave with a serious look, "But it's not because I don't like you enough. I just...I just don't like me enough. I'd make a really terrible boyfriend." 

Dave wanted to argue, say that he'd be over the moon to have Klaus as a boyfriend in any capacity at all, but he wasn't really in a position to ask Klaus to be his boyfriend anyway. He was closeted, so dating wasn't really on the table anyway, not in the way that Klaus deserved. He felt lighter for having gotten all of that off his chest, but he knew that it didn't exactly change anything between them, not in any serious way. Perhaps they'd flirt more now, maybe even arrange to hang out here and there, maybe Dave would keep finding places and reasons to kiss him, but for now, that was all they could really be. 

"Okay," He nodded, "I'm still in the closet. I'm hardly datable either. So we both have our baggage. Friends then?"

Klaus wrinkled his nose at the idea of them being just friends, "As long as I can still kiss you when we're alone. Friends with benefits?" He countered. 

Dave's face heated at the implication, at what 'benefits' usually entailed and swallowed thickly, breathing picking up, which Klaus apparently found amusing because he laughed. 

"Oh, sweet Davey. Don't have an aneurysm. Just kissing benefits for now. Maybe we'll work our way up to some heavy petting or dry-humping one day," He teased with a wink. 

Dave let out a breath, but still blushed at even the thought of just that much. Still, he nodded. Yes, yes, absolutely yes, he wanted that with Klaus and more. He was grateful that Klaus seemed willing to take things slow though. Dave wanted everything with him, of course he did, but he was easily overwhelmed and this was all pretty new to him.   
"Friends with benefits, then," he agreed, wrinkling his own nose at how that sounded. 

It sounded so crass and casual, like it was only about the so-called benefits when really Dave may have been just a little bit head-over-heels in love with Klaus. But for now, it's what they could have. It was a stepping stone for them, both clearly carrying a lot on their shoulders, and if they needed a transition period before things got any more serious, Dave could absolutely live with that. He leaned in and gently nudged his nose against Klaus, drawing a smile from him before he tilted his head and closed the distance for a soft kiss, one that had Klaus melting against him with a sigh. When they parted, they rested their foreheads together. 

"I should probably get you home soon," Dave said softly, brushing his thumb over Klaus's jawline. 

Klaus pouted, which made Dave smile a little purely because it was cute and because it meant Klaus didn't want to leave him, but he nodded, brushing his fingertips through the hair at the back of Dave's neck. 

"Yeah, okay. Thank you, Davey."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please comment or reach out to let me know what you might want to see in upcoming chapters! I wrote this originally as a little one-shot and it's grown into a monster that I have absolutely no roadmap for, so help me out here and leave me your suggestions!


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